Ja Morant has issued a statement after the NBA handed a 25-game suspension to the Memphis Grizzlies star.
The 23-year-old was suspended back in May after he appeared to be seen holding a gun during an Instagram Live filmed in a car in May. It follows on when Morant was suspended for eight games back in March for a similar incident in a Denver club.
After being suspended by the Grizzlies in May, Morant was unable to take part in any team activities, pending league review. NBA commissioner Adam Silver had stated that an announcement on Morant’s possible punishment would come after the conclusion of the NBA Finals.
On Friday, it was confirmed that Morant would be suspended for 25 games, which will begin at the start of the 2023/24 season. And now the point guard has released a statement following the news of his suspension.
"I've had time to reflect and I realize how much hurt I've caused,” said Morant. “I want to apologise to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman and Robert Pera - who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me - I'm sorry for the harm I've done.
"To the kids who look up to me, I'm sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I'm going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I'm going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I'm going to make it up to you, I promise.
"I'm spending the offseason and my suspension continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making. I'm also going to be training so that I'm ready to go when I can be back on the court. I know my teammates are going to hold it down and I'm so sorry I won't be out there with you at the beginning of the season.
"I hope you'll give me the chance to prove to you over time I'm a better man than what I've been showing you."
The NBA confirmed in a statement of their own that Morant would serve the longer ban and that Morant would need to meet “certain conditions' in order to return to playing once the suspension is served.
"The NBA announced today that Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been suspended 25 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league,” the NBA statement read.
"Morant posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video on May 13, less than two months after he was suspended eight games without pay for the live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver area nightclub.
"The league office found that., on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis. Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined. On May 16, Morant issued a statement taking full accountability for his actions.
"Morant's suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023/24 NBA regular season for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play. He will also be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension."
NBA commissioner Silver also issued a statement, where he expressed his concern over Morant’s actions.
Silver said: "Ja Morant's decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games.
"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja's conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behaviour with guns will not be tolerated.
"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behaviour."
National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) director Tamika Tremaglio later issued a statement in response to Morant’s suspension. Tremaglio says the NBPA felt the 25-game suspension is “excessive”.
The statement from Tremaglio read: “Ja has expressed his remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions, and we support him unequivocally as he does whatever is necessary to represent himself, our players and our league in the best possible light.
“As to the discipline imposed, which keeps him off the court until December and requires some unstated conditions to be met before he can return, we believe it is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons including the facts involved in this particular incident, and that it is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league. We will explore with Ja all options and next steps.”
